Promotion and Tenure
PURDUE
FACULTY
October 2015
Types of Faculty at Purdue
Tenured/Tenure Track
Clinical/Professional
Research
Visiting (temporary)
Adjunct
~2100
~180
~35
~125
~360
Purdue Tenure-Track
Faculty by Rank 2012-13
Assistant
Professors
19%
Full Professors
50%
Associate
Professors
31%
Promotion and Tenure
• One of the strongest predictors of pre-tenure faculty
satisfaction and success is understanding the
promotion and tenure process.
•
• At Purdue, the process is described in Executive
Memorandum B-48, Section II and in Provost’s Letter
• http://www.purdue.edu/provost/faculty/promotion.ht
ml
• Updated Promotion and Tenure Policy, Procedures
and Criteria will be in place by January 2016.
4
Tenure at Purdue
…to be considered for promotion, a faculty member
should have demonstrated excellence and scholarly
productivity in at least one of these areas. Ordinarily,
strength should be manifest in more than one of these
areas.” Scholarship of
“
 Learning (teaching)
 Engagement (dept., profession, university,
community, state, world)
 Discovery (research)
5
CLINICAL FACULTY
• Clinical Faculty have a distinct path to
promotion (but not tenure). They are considered
by a different panel (Panel B) rather than the
usual Panel A. This review panel incorporates
more clinical faculty.
• Procedures for Appointing and Promoting
Clinical Faculty:
http://www.purdue.edu/provost/faculty/policy/cli
nical-faculty.html
Research Faculty
• Research Faculty have a distinct path to promotion
(but not tenure). They are considered by a different
panel (Panel C) rather than the usual Panel A.
• Procedures for Appointing and Promoting Research
Faculty: http://www.purdue.edu/policies/humanresources/vif8.html
Promotion & Tenure at Purdue: 2014-2015
• 80 faculty were reviewed for promotion by the
University Promotions Committee - 79 were approved
for promotion
• 39/39 were successfully promoted to full professor
• 49/50 were successfully promoted to associate
professor
• 10 nominations did not go to UPC
• Flashpoint 7 area and 3 primary committee
• 8 clinical faculty were promoted (8 to associate)
• research faculty was promoted (1 to associate)
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2014 Faculty Promotion and Tenure
by Major Area of Focus (# of people)
One basis
Discovery
Engagement
Learning
Full Professor
28
31
29
11
12
Associate Professor
31
39
21
76
Two or more bases
Discovery and
Engagement
Discovery and
Learning
Learning and
Engagement
All Three
Full Professor
14
11
10
00
Associate Professor
21
33
45
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Time to Tenure

Assistant Professors typically have a probationary
period up to 6 years to earn promotion and tenure.

The 6th year is called the “penultimate year.” It is the
last year in which one is eligible for tenure.

Entering associate professors have 3 years to work
toward tenure. The 3rd year is penultimate year.
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Tenure Clock Extensions: When conditions and
personal circumstances substantially interfere with progress
toward achieving tenure
A one-year automatic approval will be granted for birth
of a child and adoption, provided a Request for TenureClock Extension form is submitted within one year of the
occurrence and prior to the penultimate year. This
provision applies to either or both parents.
Justifiable conditions for granting exclusions include,
but are not necessarily restricted to, severe illness,
disability, or care-giving of a family member.
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Some Things to Ask About
• Guidelines for P and T: What are the criteria? Written guidelines?
• Promotion evaluation may be different from the annual merit salary
review.
• When will you be evaluated and by whom? (Frequency and people)
• Is there a formal third year evaluation? external input?
• Specific criteria for quality and impact of research and teaching:
•
e.g. Journal listing (sometimes specified for promotion process)
• Guidelines for evaluation of teaching
• Format for promotion and/or tenure document – get past examples
• Develop a plan for moving toward promotion and/or tenure
• How will you publish enough articles?
• How will you document teaching success?
• Ask for a Mentor and demand regular, written feedback early
Keys to faculty success and well-being

Starting Early, Planning and Gathering Information
 Getting oriented to the institution
 Learning what is expected early on
 Learning the tenure and promotion process
 Begin and plan with the end in mind

Start with research and teaching- don’t lose focus!

Seek excellence (as defined by your discipline)

Engagement and service increase over one’s career
Creating work-life balance

Find a sustainable rhythm

Be aware of supports

Ask for what you need: stop the clock, parental leave

Form 36
The President’s Office Nomination for Promotion Form
(Form 36): Available On-Line
http://www.purdue.edu/provost/faculty/promotion.html
More useful: Instructions for filling out the form 36
http://www.purdue.edu/provost/documents/Form36INSTR%202014-15AY.pdf
More useful still: The template your college or
department uses. Get an electronic example of a
successful form 36 and start filling it in
Keys to faculty success and well-being

Seek help and support actively and widely
 Developing professional networks/mentors inside AND
outside the department
 Letter writers are outside the department
 Soliciting feedback from senior faculty and head
 They will be on primary committee
 Pay attention to annual reviews
 Get concrete and specific advice about journals, etc
 Seek advice from multiple mentors/sources
 Get multiple examples of success- e.g. Form 36
 Know your rights and obligations